The present invention relates to a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image in real time. In particular, the present invention relates to a 3D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for displaying a 3D image suitable to intra-operative assistance.
In general, a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for displaying a tomographic image by scanning ultrasonic beams in a single plane is known. In recent years, in this 2D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, there is actively made an attempt for acquiring a 3D image for an object to be diagnosed and displaying the image. Such a technique for displaying the 3D image is greatly expected to open up the possibility of intra-operative The changes being made to the specification are shown using underlining and bracketing in the attachment hereto.
It is known that such 2D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for acquiring such kind of 3D information collects a diagnostic image while moving a one-dimensional (1D) array probe as an ultrasonic transducer (probe) configuring a transmission/receiving section of ultrasonic beams. In this case, there is studied that a convex probe or linear probe for an abdominal region is employed as a 1D array probe to manually or mechanically move the probe or that an esophageal multi-plane probe is employed to rotate its electronic sector probe.
However, acquiring 3D information employing a 1D array probe itself requires considerably more time than conventional tomographic scanning. Therefore, there has been a problem that, in the case of an object with fast movement, such as a heart, motion information cannot be traced. Even in the case where a probe is not fully fixed to an abdominal region with a movement that is not faster than that of the heart, an image is considerably distorted.
Moreover, when intra-operative assistance is performed by employing 3D information acquired by such 1D array probe, an image displayed on a monitor is a 2D tomographic image in a scanning face of a 1D array probe. Thus, during operation, an operator in chief (hereinafter, referred to as an xe2x80x9coperatorxe2x80x9d) or an inspector must grasp three-dimensional anatomical information on an object of surgery (hereinafter, referred to as a xe2x80x9cfield of interestxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ctarget sitexe2x80x9d or the like) while observing the 2D anatomical information. That is, an operator or inspector acquires a plurality of tomographic images by moving the scanning face of the 1D array probe during operation, and virtually integrates and constructs its probe operation position, an image acquired at that position, and anatomical knowledge in his or her mind, thereby making it necessary to visualize the anatomical information on a target site of the object. Therefore, if the operator and the inspector are different from each other, mutual thorough communication during operation is required. In addition, the inspector is always required to have further highly skilled ultrasonic probe handling technique, and thus, it is not always effective.
The present invention has been achieved in view of this conventional problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for reducing the burden of ultrasonic scanning upon an inspector or an operator acting as the inspector during an operation, by automatically providing 3D anatomical information of the field of interest viewed from the operator""s viewpoint; thus assisting a smooth operation.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, according to the present invention, there is provided a three-dimensional diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic beams toward an object and receiving ultrasonic echo signals thereof; means for generating and storing three-dimensional region volume data from the patient based on the ultrasonic echo signals; direction detecting means for detecting direction data concerning an orientation of an operator""s head or face part; and image display means for generating and displaying a two-dimensional display image from the volume data in real time based on the direction data outputted from the direction directing means.
In the present invention, the ultrasonic probe can be an 1D (one-dimensional array probe or a 2D array probe (two-dimensional phased array ultrasonic transducer). Preferably, the ultrasonic probe may be the 2D array probe.
The 2D array probe scans ultrasonic beams three-dimensionally, thereby making it possible to acquire and display a three-dimensional volume image. When intra-operative assistance is performed by using such three-dimensional volume image, volume data can be acquired by three-dimensionally scanning it by the 2D array probe, making it possible to acquire in real time three-dimensional information that could not be obtained in the 2D tomographic image using the 1D array probe. In this manner, the operator or inspector can observe a target site from an arbitrary point of view. Accordingly, in the 3D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus using such 2D array probe, a request for the inspector""s ultrasonic inspection technique becomes less necessary than the 2D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus using the 1D array probe. Moreover, as the 2D array probe has been researched and developed considering intra-operative assistance in particular, the 3D display of the object""s field of interest is effectively provided. As a result, in the 3D ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, there can be obtained information effective to intra-operative assistance such as the view and position of a 3D-displayed site in the field of interest, and the position relation with respect to the operator.
In the present invention, the three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus can further comprise means for changing a magnification of the two-dimensional display image according to a change in distance between the head or face part of the operator and the three-dimensional region in the patient.
The direction detecting means comprises a first position sensor for detecting first position information concerning the viewpoint of the operator or a certain point in a certain position relation with the viewpoint of the operator; and a second position sensor for detecting second position information concerning the position of the ultrasonic probe. The image display means can comprise: view setting means for setting a view of the operator in real time based on the two-position information detected by the two position sensors; and a display portion for displaying three-dimensional anatomical information of the field of interest in real time when the three-dimensional volume information is seen from a view set by the view setting means.
The first sensor can be mounted on an intra-operative goggle or eyeglasses that the operator wears, and the second sensor can be mounted on the ultrasonic probe.
There can be further provided an arm device in which the display portion is movably installed on a region in the vicinity of the field of interest of the patient.
The arm device can comprise an arm main body and at least one joint section disposed at this arm main body, the joint section being rotary at least in horizontal and vertical direction.
The display portion can comprise a rotary rotation mechanism so as to automatically orient the display face to the operation side.
The display portion can further comprise means for controlling the rotation mechanism using position information from the first position sensor.
The display portion can be configured in the intra-operative goggle that the operator wears. The display portion configured in the intra-operative goggle can comprise ON/OFF control means for controlling display/non-display of an ultrasonic image by means of an ON/OFF function of a switch. The ON/OFF control means is capable of being means for controlling information concerning a normal field of interest to be displayed during non-display of the ultrasonic image.
In addition, in order to achieve the foregoing object, in another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic beams to a patient and receiving ultrasonic echo signals; means for generating and storing three-dimensional region volume data in the patient based on the ultrasonic echo signals received by the ultrasonic probe; direction detecting means for detecting direction data concerning a viewing direction of an operator; and image display means for generating and displaying a two-dimensional display image from the volume data in read time based on the direction data outputted from the direction detecting means.
With the foregoing structure, the following advantageous effect can be obtained.
First, assume that a 2D ultrasonic system using a conventional 1D array probe is employed in intra-operative assistance. In this case, an ultrasonic image observed in the 2D ultrasonic system is not seen from the operator""s viewpoint, but is a scanning cross section of the 1D array probe. Thus, it is inconvenient to know a relationship between vertical blood vessel structures or tissues based on the information only on the scanning cross section. In addition, the operator must move his or her view considerably to the ultrasonic system installed on a monitor in order to observe an ultrasonic image inside of the field of interest. Such changing the operator""s view considerably could lead to degradation of the operator""s work efficiency.
In contrast, assume that intra-operative assistance is performed using the 3D ultrasonic system according to the present invention. In this case, first, by a small-sized position sensor such as 3D magnetic sensor mounted on the goggle or eyeglasses that the operator wears, a position of the position sensor and the directional vector of the sensor at that position are detected as direction data concerning the orientation of the operator""s head part. With image display means, from 3D data collected in real time by means of an ultrasonic probe such as 2D array probe based on the detected direction data, and a 3D image such as a VR (Volume Rendering) image or MIP (Maximum or Minimum Intensity Projections) image in the operator""s viewing direction is displayed.
In this manner, a three-dimensional position relationship between the blood vessels or tissues of the field of interest that could not be provided in the conventional system can be visualized in real time. In addition, the information from the position from the operator""s viewpoint position can be automatically provided. Therefore, in the present invention, the 3D structure of the field of interest can be automatically recognized from the operator""s viewpoint by employing the above-mentioned means, thus making it possible to improve operative work efficiency.
From the foregoing, according to the present invention, the 3D ultrasonic image of the field of interest from the operator""s viewpoint can be automatically provided, and there can be substantially reduce a burden due to complicated processing that the three-dimensional anatomy in blood vessel structures or tissues that has been conventionally indispensable is constructed in mind. At the same time, in the present invention, a position relationship between surgical instruments such as surgical knife or puncture needle, blood vessel structures, or tissues can be recognized in real time, and the improvement in work accuracy or its efficiency is expected.
In addition, in the present invention, a display device can installed as image display means very close to a target site so that the operator""s view does not considerably changes as described above. For example, a thin, light-weighted display device such as liquid crystal can be installed very close to a target site by employing a long arm, or a specific goggle with position sensor capable of displaying an ultrasonic image can be utilized. Thus, installing the display portion at a position very close to the field of interest makes it possible to eliminate considerable movement of the operator""s view in order to see the display portion and improve work efficiency more significantly.
Further, according to the present invention, the inspector manipulating an ultrasonic probe is not required to have highly skilled technique, and can be handle the probe easily.